Tackle box support and clamp



July 7, 1959 MALY 2,893,673

TACKLE BOX SUPPORT AND CLAMP Filed March 17, 1955 INVENTOR :EILEE Laddo Mag ATTORNEY United States Patent TACKLE BOX SUPPORT AND CLAMP (Laddo Maly, Anderson, Ind.

Application March '17, 1955, Serial No. 494,943

1 Claim. (Cl. 248-126) This invention aims to provide a novel and advantageous device designed primarily for holding a fishermans tackle box in a convenient position in a boat.

The device comprises a supporting plate upon which to place the box, means for clamping the box tosaid plate, and means for clamping said plate to a support, for example a gunwale of a boat.

A further object is to provide the device with novel adjustable clamping means which adapts it for holding boxes of difierent sizes.

Another object is to provide the device of such light weight that it may be left attached to the box and easily carried with the latter to and from the boat or other place where fishing is to be done.

Still another object is to so construct the device that it will support the box in an upright position when simply set down on the ground, on a wharf or on any other horizontal surface.

With the above and other objects in view that will become apparent as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel form, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawing and claimed.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the device.

Figure 2 is a front elevation, and

Figure 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view on line 3--3 of Figure l.

The construction shown in the drawing has proved to be of advantage from all standpoints, and may therefore be considered as preferred. However, it is to be understood that variations may be made within the scope of the invention. Also, while aluminum or some light weight alloy is preferred for lightness, it is to be understood that any other suitable material may be used.

A substantially rectangular box-supporting plate 5 is provided having openings 6 for lightness. The rear edge portion of this plate is formed with a downwardly projecting integral lug 7 located midway between the ends of said plate. In advance of this lug, the plate 5 is formed with a second downwardly extending integral lug 8 through which a clamping screw 9 is threaded. The rear end of this screw has a swiveled foot 10 for coaction with the lug 7 in clamping the plate 5 to a gunwale or other support. As the gunwale is usually laterally inclined somewhat, the lug 7 is similarly inclined to disposethe plate 5 in a horizontal position.

Two lugs 11 are formed integrally with and project upwardly from the rear edge of the plate 5, said lugs being provided with pads 12, preferably of rubber, to abut the rear side of a tackle box when the latter is placed on said plate. A clamping screw 13 having a swiveled padded foot 14, is provided, to abut the front side of the box and thus coacts with the padded lugs 11 in clamping said box tightly upon the plate 5.

The screw 13 is mounted in a novel manner which al- 'ice lows it to be bodily shifted forwardly or rearwardly according to the size of the box to be clamped, the screw mounting means being then secured. Thus the box may be clamped or released with only a few turns of the screw 13.

For shiftably mounting the screw 13 for the abovestated purpose, an elongated slide 15 is provided, said slide having an upwardly projection front end 16 through which said screw 16 is threaded. This slide may be longitudinally channeled in its upper side for lightness and it is formed with a longitudinal slot 17. The lower side of the slide 15 is formed with teeth 18.

The intermediate portion of the plate 5 is formed with a depressed channel portion 19 which opens through the front edge of said plate but terminates: inwardly of the rear edge of said plate. The bottom of this channel portion 19 is formed with teeth 20.

The slide 15 is positioned in the channel portion 19 with enough clearance to be easily shiftable forwardly or rearwardly therein when loosened, but normally said slide is locked in any position at which it may be set. For such locking, the teeth 18 and 20 interengage and a bolt 21 extends through the slot 17 and through the bottom of the channel portion 19. This bolt 21 has a squared portion 22 engaging the side walls of the slot 17 to prevent bolt rotation when tightening and releasing the nut 23.

Two legs 24 are formed integrally with the ends of the plate 5 near the front corners of said plate and are cooperable with the lug 7 to support said plate in a horizontal position and thereby hold the tackle box upright, when said legs and lugs rest on any horizontal surface. The elements 25 and 26 are simply reinforcing flanges on the lower side of the plate 5.

From the foregoing it will be seen that a novel and advantageous device has been provided for attaining the desired ends. However, attention is again invited to the possibility of making variations within the scope of the invention.

I claim:

A tackle box support and clamp adapted for mounting on the gunwale of a boat, comprising a plate having a pair of spaced lugs centrally depending therefrom at opposite sides of the plate, a clamping screw carried by one lug and directed toward the other lug in horizontal relation to the plate for clamping the plate on a boat gunwale, end legs depending from the plate and cooperating with said other lug to support the plate in horizontal position, a channel in the upper side of said plate, a forward and rearwardly shiftable slide mounted in said channel below the upper surface of the plate and being longitudinally slotted, interengaging ratchet teeth on the opposed faces of the plate and slide, a nut and bolt combination extending through the slide slot for holding the slide against movement with the upper end thereof terminating below the upper surface of the plate, a lug rising from the outer end of the plate, a lug rising from the outer end of the slide and a clamping screw threaded through the slide lug and being horizontally arranged with respect to the slide and plate and directed toward the upstanding plate lug for clamping a tackle box therebetween that flatly rests upon the upper surface of the plate.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 517,677 Bender Apr. 3, 1894 807,613 Groves Dec. 19, 1905 901,618 Honstein Oct. 20, 1908 1,781,997 Berezowski Nov. 18, 1930 1,850,599 Milner Mar. 22, 1932 2,711,872 Lampke June 28, 1955 

